Full PreFrontal: Exposing the Mysteries of Executive Function

Send us a textGoals may not change but circumstances do. Executive Function means to accomplish the goals by changing gears, repurposing solutions, and shifting perspectives by successfully adapting to the changed conditions And doing it without losing focus, waning interest or destabilizing emotions. Tune in to this Big Picture episode as I discuss the brain finest ability to orchestrate actions when put to good use yields outcomes that are emotionally desirable, appropriate, and future centered.About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a textIn 2018, John Legend became the 13th and the youngest winner of "EGOT" which stands for the big-four possible outstanding awards in the entertainment industry: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. An awe worthy accomplishment certainly points out the talent in John Legend, but is it cultivated? There are those who do things, those who do it well, and those who do it exceptionally well. An expert performer produces superior or exceptional performance without an exception. The journey to gain expertise however, is far from simply being effortful.On today’s podcast, Professor Anders Ericsson, and co-author of the book Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise, will discuss how particular skill-sets and particular mindsets shapes the mastery of skills, which are attainable to all. At the heart of superior Executive Function is goal-directed actions and tolerance for discomfort and annoyances that interfere while building skills. So through focused effort to strengthen Executive Function, one can easily forge the path towards developing expertise.About K. Anders EricssonK. Anders Ericsson, PhD, is presently Conradi Eminent Scholar and Professor of Psychology at Florida State University.  After his Ph. D. in Sweden, he collaborated with the Nobel Prize winner in Economics, Herbert A. Simon on verbal reports of thinking leading to their classic book “Protocol Analysis: Verbal Reports as Data” (1984). Currently he studies the measurement of expert performance in domains, such as music, chess, nursing, law enforcement, and sports, and how expert performers attain their superior performance by acquiring complex cognitive mechanisms and physiological adaptations through extended deliberate practice.He has edited several books on expertise, the influential “Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance” consisted of over 40 chapters and 900 pages and the recent “Development of Professional Expertise, which appeared in 2009. His most recent book (2016) “Peak: Secrets from the new science of expertise” was co-authored with Robert Pool. His research has been featured in cover stories in Scientific American, Time, Fortune, Wall Street Journal and New York Times.He has been invited to give keynote presentations at conferences of surgeons, musicians, teachers, clinical psychologists, athletes, and coaches as well as professional sports organizations, such as Philadelphia Eagles (American football), San Antonio Spurs (basketball), Toronto Blue Jays (baseball) and Manchester City (soccer).Books:Peak: Secrets from the New Science of ExpertiseAbout Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a textWhat do Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, academy award winning actor Leonardo de Caprio, designer Ralph Lauren, and entertainment mogul Jay Z have in common? They all grew up poor. Their success is enviable, but breaking the cycle of poverty is a mammoth task; one that requires educational opportunities that compensate for the disadvantages created by the socio-economic gap, appropriate structural support, and exposure to the larger world. Every young mind has the right to dream big, but not all dreams are destined to become a reality.On this episode, Elise Davis-McFarland, the Immediate Past President of American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA 2019) and an ASHA Fellow, discusses how poverty is a serious condition and a potential cause of deprivation and educating students from low income families warrants more than just tolerance, but strong cultural competence. Robust Executive Function and self-regulation are essential ingredients for raising independent children, but ongoing environmental stressors and economics adversity can prove to be an obstacle in bringing forth future-ready children.About Dr. Elise Davis-McFarlandDr. Elise Davis-McFarland has enjoyed a rewarding career in higher education that includes teaching, development, and leadership of speech-language pathology programs; research; and executive-level college administration. She began her career as a school speech-language pathologist (SLP) in North Carolina where she provided diagnostic and therapeutic services for children in pre- and elementary schools. Following an audiology internship at the VA and Duke Hospitals and graduate study, she joined the faculty of the University of Houston as an assistant professor where she taught graduate courses in language development, childhood language disorders, early literacy development, and assessment and diagnosis of childhood communication disorders.In Charleston, South Carolina—in the absence of an academic program in her discipline—she took advantage of new experiences, first as vice president of Governmental Affairs for the Charleston Chamber of Commerce and later as Director of Institutional Research at The Citadel. Dr. Davis-McFarland was also elected as a commissioner for the state’s Medicaid program by the South Carolina Legislature. At the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), as an associate professor the opportunity to develop and lead the interdisciplinary graduate Communication Sciences and Disorders program in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences where Occupational and Physical Therapy programs were housed led to a teaching award and to her research at the MUSC hospital. Later, she became Vice President for Student Affairs at Trident College, where she provided executive-level leadership and supported the successful matriculation of students with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome into the college. Dr. Davis-McFarland is an ASHA Fellow.  Her service to ASHA includes membership on the Committee on Practice Guidelines for SLPs, the Professional Practices Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Executive Board Subcommittee on Examination Performance, and the Multicultural Issues Board. She was one of ASHA’s representatives on the committee formed by ASHA and the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC). She chaired the Committee on Honors and was the coordinator for SIG 14. Until her election as ASHA’s president-elect she served on the SLP Advisory Council as a representative from South Carolina, and the SIG 17 Coordinating Committee. She has also been a reviewer for Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools and the African Journal of AIDS Research. Her areas of research and publication include spSupport the show

Send us a textThe name Shepherd Ivory Franz won’t ring a bell for many, but he is a notable individual in the arena that is now known as neuropsychiatry and neuropsychology. Close to 100 years ago, he was testing the ability to relearn after performing an ablative brain surgery on cats that he had initially “taught”. This type of work and eventual application to the veterans who survived brain trauma provided Franz with early insights into neuroplasticity, which is the foundation of the current approach to cognitive retraining.On this episode, Rick Parente, Emeritus Professor at Towson University in Baltimore and a celebrated expert in the field of cognitive retraining will discuss how targeted and specific interventions after a traumatic brain injury are more effective than comprehensive, but non-targeted ones. Because finding ways to help people to learn, remember, and think is as much an art as science, this discussion will lead us all to deploy careful scrutiny when assessing symptom presentation, functional needs, and perceived limitations of the brain.About Rick Parente, Ph.D.Rick Parente is an Emeritus Professor at Towson Univeristy in Baltimore.  He teaches courses on Neuropsychological Assessment and NeuroRehabilitation.  He has published over 75 journal articles and three books on NeuroRehabilitation. He is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapist.BooksRetraining Cognition: Techniques and ApplicationsAbout Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a text“Executive Function refers to your choreographed ability to make yourself DO and take actions using the capacity and vision for self to yield outcomes that are socially-emotionally desirable, future centered and appropriate for personal advancement.” - Sucheta KamathAfter a year and half interviewing the world’s leading authorities, researchers and educators Sucheta brings her own expertise in helping people master their own Executive Function to the table as she launches her special series “The Big Picture”. In this episode, she breaks down the key ingredients of Self-Optimization. Tune in to find out why and how to rethink problems, question one’s own methods, evaluate outcomes every step of the way and finally, willingly and readily change one’s approach to reach one’s own best version.About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a textOver the last several decades, the public’s understanding of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae of the same has undergone radical transformation. There is ample evidence that supports the fact that rehabilitation is a critical part of the road to recovery and making treatment functional can be done successfully by a bridge into the community where the TBI survivor hopes to thrive. However, what’s still missing is the society’s lack of awareness of the needs of those who have sustained a TBI and are experiencing life-altering consequences.On this episode, the Senior Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD, returns to discuss the therapeutic consideration to successfully manage a TBI. This episode offers an expanded view on how to accentuate the lifestyle change in the form of skill building, use of compensatory strategies, and family support to build the person's hope back.About Julie Haarbauer-Krupa, Ph.D.Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD, is a Senior Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. As a behavioral scientist, her role on the TBI team is to devise research projects and products to better understand trends in TBI in the U.S., and to improve health outcomes for individuals living with a TBI. She is project lead on the Report to Congress, the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children, and the Return to School Projects in the division. Recent publications include: a report on life expectancy and unemployment outcomes for moderate to severe TBI; PTSD in mild TBI; point of healthcare entry for children with concussions; talking to young children about concussions; and service delivery systems for children with TBI.Dr. Haarbauer-Krupa has 30 years of experience and has authored over 20 publications and presentations in the area of TBI with specialties in rehabilitation and pediatric populations. She previously served as a faculty member at The University of Pittsburgh, George Washington University, and Georgia State University, and currently holds an adjunct position in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University’s School of Medicine.WebsitesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)Brain Injury Association of America (www.biausa.org)North American Brain Injury Society (www.nabis.org)Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (www.dvbic.org)National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (www.nashia.org)National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, NICHD, NIH(https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/ncmrr/Pages/overview.aspx)National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr)About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-Support the show

Send us a textWhat hazard could really be posed by daily activities like driving, biking, climbing, or walking?  They don’t, until they do. An awkward step, a sudden turn, an unanticipated slip or a fall can alter the direction in which one’s life is going. The Brain Injury Association of America reports that at least 2.5 million people encounter a traumatic brain injury each year. For some, the recovery may be quick and simple, while for others, it may be a life that has no semblance of normalcy.Since one in every 60 people in the U.S. lives with a disability that is a result of traumatic brain injury, it is critical that we understand how to identify, diagnose, and manage them. On this episode, Dr. Julie Haabauer-Krupa from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), will discuss how traumatic brain injury impacts attention, memory, speech, communication, movement, coordination, decision making, and executive function. This is an invitation to create communities that thrive by engaging in discussions to raise awareness on the long-standing impact of TBI on individuals, family members, caretakers, and society.About Julie Haarbauer-Krupa, Ph.D.Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD, is a Senior Health Scientist on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the Injury Center. As a behavioral scientist, her role on the TBI team is to devise research projects and products to better understand trends in TBI in the U.S., and to improve health outcomes for individuals living with a TBI. She is project lead on the Report to Congress, the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children, and the Return to School Projects in the division. Recent publications include: a report on life expectancy and unemployment outcomes for moderate to severe TBI; PTSD in mild TBI; point of healthcare entry for children with concussions; talking to young children about concussions; and service delivery systems for children with TBI.Dr. Haarbauer-Krupa has 30 years of experience and has authored over 20 publications and presentations in the area of TBI with specialties in rehabilitation and pediatric populations. She previously served as a faculty member at The University of Pittsburgh, George Washington University, and Georgia State University, and currently holds an adjunct position in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University’s School of Medicine.WebsitesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)Brain Injury Association of America (www.biausa.org)North American Brain Injury Society (www.nabis.org)Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (www.dvbic.org)National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (www.nashia.org)National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, NICHD, NIH(https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/ncmrr/Pages/overview.aspx)National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr)About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital lSupport the show

Send us a textAbility, inability, and disability rest on a continuum where the human story comes to life. Living with a disability; whether it is a physical, mental, or a learning disability is life-long work and having able partners can make the journey pleasant. But, the able partner is not just someone without a disability, but one who is willing to embrace the unique human experience with authenticity and inclusivity.On this episode, our guest Dan Habib, an award-winning documentary film maker, an activist/advocate, a past-member of the Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (appointed by President Obama) and a father who sought inclusive education for Samuel, his son with cerebral palsy with full well-knowledge that these encounters are mutually transformative. A key element of Executive Function is the capacity to think flexibly, shift perspectives and change one’s mind by broadening the world view. Today’s conversation, invites listeners to reconsider how we conceptualize, verbalize and process the idea of “normal”.About Dan HabibDan Habib is the creator of the award-winning documentary films Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS and many other films on disability-related topics.  Habib is a filmmaker at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability.He has recently released his new documentary, Intelligent Lives, which examines our society’s narrow perceptions of intelligence. The Intelligent Lives project also contains four short films focusing on effective practices in transition for youth with disabilities from high school to higher education and employment.Habib received the Champion of Human and Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association, and the Justice for All Grassroots Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities.  In 2014, Habib was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.Habib and his wife, Betsy, live in Concord, NH, with their sons Isaiah, 22, and Samuel, 19.WebsiteIntelligentLives.orgIncludingSamuel.comWhoCaresAboutKelsey.comAbout Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a textGerald Belcher once said, “The best education is not given to students; it is drawn out of them.” It captures the notion that learning and teaching are intertwined and this relationship deepens when educators keep inventing new ways to inspire kids, help make creative connections, and allow their passion to come through.In these moments, there’s nothing higher than the human spirit as a child succeeds in learning.On this episode, our guest a neuroscientist, author, blogger, and a frequent contributor to Psychology Today, William Klemm, Ph.D. returns to speak on brining learning strategies into classroom teaching.About Professor W.R. KlemmDr. W. R. (Bill) Klemm is a Professor of Neuroscience at Texas A&M University who has studied basic and applied research on learning and memory and has published 20 books, many of them for lay audiences. He provides teachers with lectures and workshops on teaching learning skills. He has over 2.5 million reader views of his posts on learning and memory at Psychology Today, and his blog (thankyoubrain.blogspot.com).Websitehttp://thankyoubrain.com/BooksMemory Power 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Better Learning for Students, Businesspeople, and Seniors Better Grades. Less EffortThe Learning Skills CycleMental Biology: The New Science of How the Brain and Mind Relate About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show

Send us a textRajveer Meena from India successfully recalled 70,000 decimal places of pi (π) and broke the previous Guinness World Record of reciting 67,890 digits of pi held by Lu Chao of China since 2005. By reading about such a feat of accomplishment, you can easily see the giant rift between "memory athletes" and ordinary citizens. However, memory is more of a skill than a gift which means everyone is capable of such an "athletic" feat.On this episode, our guest, a neuroscientist, author, blogger, and a frequent contributor to Psychology Today, William Klemm, Ph.D., speaks on the topic of memory, memory structure, and the relationship between memory, learning, and Executive Function.About Professor W.R. KlemmDr. W. R. (Bill) Klemm is a Professor of Neuroscience at Texas A&M University who has studied basic and applied research on learning and memory and has published 20 books, many of them for lay audiences. He provides teachers with lectures and workshops on teaching learning skills. He has over 2.5 million reader views of his posts on learning and memory at Psychology Today, and his blog (thankyoubrain.blogspot.com).Websitehttp://thankyoubrain.com/BooksMemory Power 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Better Learning for Students, Businesspeople, and Seniors Better Grades. Less EffortThe Learning Skills CycleMental Biology: The New Science of How the Brain and Mind Relate About Host, Sucheta KamathSucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.Support the show